Community Notebook: Special Ed Workshops, Tornado Fundraiser and More

By Amber Lester Kennedy Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Williamsburg-James City County schools will host the first of three workshops designed to help parents of students with special needs tonight. On Saturday, Great Endings will gather to discuss end-of-life issues and on Sunday at JM Randall’s, a music event will raise funds for residents of Grove who were affected by a recent tornado. Mark your calendars for June, when two lectures will focus on Indian heritage in Virginia. Read on for more details.

WJCC Special Ed Office Offers Transition Workshops

Students needing assistance with applying for admission to college and/or transitioning to the work force can attend three workshops this month at Warhill High School. All of the workshops will begin at 5 p.m., and light dinner and refreshments will be served.

May 17: “College Planning, Getting Accommodations in College and/or Vocational School.” Richard Hurst, of Thomas Nelson Community College, will talk about how to apply for accommodations at college or vocational school under the Americans for Disabilities Act (ADA).

May 24: “Understanding Diploma Options.” Presenter Quincy Marrow, supervisor of guidance for WJCC, will explain the diploma requirements for special needs children.

May 31: “Understanding the Role that the Department of Rehabilitative Services Has With Your Child’s Post-Secondary Outcome.” Presenter Matt Luther, a DRS representative, will explain how to qualify for DRS services.

For more information or to register, contact Suzanne Stuart, Parent Resource Center Coordinator, at stuarts@wjcc.k12.va.us or at 565-9147, or Michelle Green, Transition Specialist, at greenm@wjcc.k12.va.us or 592-3201.

Discuss End-of-Life Issues at Library on Saturday

Great Endings, a local organization dedicated to discussion of end-of-life issues, will meet at 10:30 a.m. on May 21 at the Williamsburg Regional Library on Scotland Street.

The discussion will be about patients’ rights, hospital and medical protocols and the best ways for families to manage end-of-life situations. Meetings are open to the public. For more information, call Wayne Moyer at (757) 508-3795.

Music Fundraiser Benefits Grove

JM Randall’s will host a “Groovin for Grove” fundraiser to benefit those affected by last month’s tornado.

The music fundraiser will be from noon to 11 p.m. on May 22, with 15 percent of all sales going to the Grove Tornado Relief Fund. Bands will perform all day, a raffle will be held and guests can participate in a corn hole tournament. The event has a $3 cover charge.

So far, the band line-up includes Bobby “Blackhat” Walters with the HRB Band and Denny Fehringer, Impulse, The Xstatix, Men of a Certain Age, Electric Sideshow, Clan McCool with Twisted Folksters and Jim Rice, The Michael Clark Band, So’Lach, Runaway String Band, Timeline Jazz Quartet, Keith Earth, Rick Gilliland, Me and 3 Criminals and more. Find more information about the event here.

Settlement Hosts Indian Heritage Lectures in June

Leading scholars will present lectures on Virginia Indian heritage in conjunction with the final month of Jamestown Settlement’s special exhibition, “Werowocomoco: Seat of Power.” The presentations will be at 7 p.m. on June 4 and June 18.

On June 4, Helen C. Rountree will present “English Myth-Making and Indian Reality: Early English Stereotypes of the Virginia Indians.” Rountree is one of the leading researchers on East Coast tribes, and has authored two books on the Powhatan Indians.

On June 18, Martin D. Gallivan will present, “Werowocomoco: Seat of Power,” during which he’ll discuss the archaeological investigations that have uncovered interaction with Jamestown’s colonists and the ways the Powhatan Indians constructed a center of power. Gallivan is an associate professor of anthropology at the College of William and Mary who has been involved in the research at the site of Werowocomoco in Gloucester County since 2003.

Both lectures are free. Advance reservations are recommended by e-mail or by calling (757) 253-5185.

Accolades for the 'Conversations', Stiefvater Program

Williamsburg Regional Library received two awards for its programs at the recent annual meeting of the Virginia Public Library Directors’ Association.

“Constitutional Conversations,” a monthly discussion series encouraging dialog about key aspects of our nation’s founding document, was honored in the category of Cooperative Programs with Other Libraries or Agencies serving a population of 50,000 - 99,999.  “Constitutional Conversations” was jointly sponsored by WRL, the Institute of Bill of Rights Law at the College of William and Mary Law School and the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.  Law students at the College of William and Mary developed the program and also led and moderated each of the monthly sessions, which were tailored to different age groups.  The free series will resume in September at the Williamsburg Library.

WRL was also recognized in its size category with the Outstanding Young Adult Program for “A Shivery Night That Lingers,” activities surrounding a visit by N.Y. Times best-selling author Maggie Stiefvater.  The events attracted about 200 people from as far away as southwestern Virginia and Philadelphia, making it one of the most successful teen programs the Williamsburg Regional Library has ever hosted.